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1956 Map of Alpine

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Alpine
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

The Mystic Lake Hydroelectric Plant stands as a focal point of industrial infrastructure amidst the high-altitude terrain of the Custer National Forest during the mid-1950s. This survey, conducted just after the war years, documents a landscape defined by its glacial features and water resources, from the Snowbank Glacier and Phantom Glacier to the expansive Red Lodge Creek Plateau. The distribution of high lakes such as East Rosebud Lake, Timberline Lake, and Sylvan Lake illustrates the hydraulic network essential for both natural drainage and power generation at the headwaters of West Rosebud Creek.

The mapping reveals the complex boundaries where Stillwater and Carbon counties meet along the Montana-Wyoming border. Landmarks like Mount Hole-in-the-Wall and Saddleback Mountain serve as essential anchors for surveyors and climbers alike, while named falls such as Calamity Falls and Sentinel Falls mark the steep transitions of the glacial valleys. This record captures the Beartooth region before the era of modern environmental management, preserving the nomenclature of a remote wilderness at a time of increasing geological study.